Ausaf Sayeed likely to be new Indian Ambassador in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah: Good news for the Telangana NRI community in Saudi Arabia. A senior diplomat hailing from Hyderabad is likely to be appointed as Indian Ambassador soon. Oil rich Kingdom is hosting largest number, nearly 34 lakhs, of Indian Passport holders in the world and being at the helm of affairs on behalf of India in Saudi is considered as one of challenging jobs.

Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, currently the Indian high commissioner in Seychelles, is expected to be appointed as the Indian Ambassador in Riyadh, according to reliable sources. He would replace Ahmad Javed, current ambassador, who has completed his term and will return soon to India.

A Career diplomat of 1989 IFS batch, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed is familiar to Saudi Arabia and also the region, as he worked earlier in Riyadh and also in Jeddah. He has handled many areas during his long 30 years of diplomatic service.

He was the brain behind the reforms and transparency in Haj management for India. He formerly served in



Yemen, Egypt, Qatar besides some other countries. He worked as Regional Passport Officer in Hyderabad. Known as vivid lover of Deccani Tahzeeb, Dr. Sayeed gives importance to public diplomacy and easy access to officials by normal NRIs.

A resident of Masab Tank in Hyderabad, he holds a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Geology from the Osmania University in Hyderabad, India and an Advanced Diploma in Arabic from the American University in Cairo.

Dr. Sayeed has published books on Geology, Indian Art, Culture and History. A widely acclaimed book on Haj, “Haj: An Indian Experience in the 20th Century” is considered as revelation of centuries old Indian links with Saudi Arabia.

During his tenure in Yemen, he presented view to the world about Dheerubai Ambani’s earlier days in Yemen and Mukesh Ambani’s birth in Yemen. Dr. Sayeed has also compiled and edited the Urdu book ‘Kuliyaat-e-Awaz Sayeed’, which comprises of the entire literary works of his late father.